System and method for processing a working file

ABSTRACT

A file sharing system using working files is implemented in a computer system having a memory system. The working file is provided by a working file application to various applications in the computer system, via a process that is transparent to the user. The working file application may provide a user interface to allow the user to select applications to execute, and to designate certain files as the working file. The applications may comprise a “suite” of applications for related subject matter.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0001] In present computer system environments, users are presented anumber of software applications that may be available on a computerworkstation or over a network. Typical software applications may be, forexample, word processing software, spreadsheet software, drafting andmultimedia design applications, internet browsing software, and soforth. Several software providers have provided collections ofapplication programs that have related functionality. Examples of suchapplication “suites” are the “Create and Share Pack” from IntelCorporation (multimedia) and the “Microsoft Office” suite from MicrosoftCorporation (business document processing).

[0002] Software applications generally allow a user to create andperform work on “data files” which may be stored in a memory system ofsome sort used with the computer system (e.g., integrated circuits,optical or magnetic storage disks or network servers). The user mayexecute the application software (e.g., a word processor) and then, viaan “open file” feature of the application, load and edit the data file(e.g., a document file). Typically, the particular application isconfigured to look for such data files in a specific “default” locationin the memory system associated with the application (e.g., a particularfolder or directory). The user may typically alter this default, or mayenter another specific location from which to retrieve a desired datafile, if that location is known to the user. Difficulties have beenencountered in dealing with data files stored in a memory system.

[0003] If a data file is not located in the default location for aparticular application, the file may not be automatically retrieved bythe application when requested by the user. Even if the data file is inthe default location for one application, other applications may usedifferent default locations, and therefore the data file may not be inthe default location for other applications. Furthermore, the data filemay not be visible to the user via an application's “open file” feature,either because it does not have the correct file type extension for useby the application, or is not in a directory that is immediatelyapparent from the user interface provided with the application's “openfile” feature. In order to use the data file in such a situation, theuser must know the file type and exact location of the data file in thedirectory structure of the memory system. Where there are numerous datafiles in the memory system (and numerous locations where such data filesmay be stored), recording the exact locations of such files becomes timeconsuming and inefficient to the user.

[0004] The difficulty in locating data files is accentuated when usingapplication suites, as the same data file may be desired for use acrossmultiple applications in the suite. For each application, the user maybe required to remember the exact location and file type of the datafile, and then use each application's “open file” feature to retrievethe desired data file. This file-finding process becomes tedious andinefficient, particularly where several applications in the suite are tobe used to perform work on the same data file.

[0005] One method used to overcome these difficulties has been to use a“search” or “find” command, which performs a search of the memory systemfor the location of the data file. However, in large memory systems (forexample, networks), such searching may be time consuming and a drain onsystem resources. Some applications have also attempted to overcome thisdata file locating problem by “remembering” a list of data files thathave been recently worked on using the application. The user could thenselect one of the data files from the list of recently used data files,and the application would retrieve the desired data file from itslocation in the memory system. This data file “remember” feature,however, does not provide indications to other applications in anapplication suite of the location of the recently used data file, andtherefore the location of the data file must still be provided by theuser when subsequently using other applications to operate on the datafile.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] A system according to the present invention comprises a workingfile stored at a location in a memory system and having a path to thelocation in the memory system and a working file application. Theworking file application includes a user interface providingaccessibility to a number of applications. The working file applicationprovides the path of the working file to a selected one of the number ofapplications.

[0007] A method for file sharing according to the present inventioncomprises providing a user interface that includes a number ofapplication indicators, each of the application indicators related toone of a number of applications, and a working file identifier relatedto a working file; receiving a selection of one of the number ofapplications; retrieving a path of the working file; and providing thepath of the working to the one of the number of applications that isselected.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008]FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a computer system to implement afirst exemplary file sharing system according to the present invention.

[0009]FIG. 2 shows a logical block diagram of the computer system ofFIG. 1, according to the present invention.

[0010]FIG. 3 shows a first illustration of a user interface of the firstexemplary file sharing system according to the present invention.

[0011]FIG. 4 shows a second diagram of the user interface of the firstexemplary file sharing system according to the present invention.

[0012]FIG. 5 shows a logical block diagram of a second configuration ofthe computer system of FIG. 1, according to the present invention.

[0013]FIG. 6 shows a first diagram of a user interface of a secondexemplary working file application according to the present invention.

[0014]FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of a computer system for use with thesecond exemplary file sharing system, according to the presentinvention.

[0015]FIGS. 8a and 8b show a flow chart of an exemplary use of thesecond exemplary file sharing system according to the present invention.

[0016]FIG. 9 shows a second diagram of a user interface of a secondexemplary working file application according to the present invention.

[0017]FIG. 10 shows a third diagram of a user interface of a secondexemplary working file application according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] FIGS. 1-5 illustrate a first exemplary embodiment of a filesharing system using working files according to the present invention.FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary computer system that may be used toimplement the exemplary file sharing system. Computer system 50 includesa CPU 51 that is connected to a memory system 52, a video display 53 anduser input devices 54. Connection between these elements may be made ina manner otherwise well known in the art. The CPU 51 comprises theprocessing elements of the computer system 50, and may include amicroprocessor, as is well known. The operation of CPU 51 may becontrolled by an operating system (e.g., Unix, MS-DOS, Microsoft Windowsor NT) that controls, for example, the execution of programs and programaccess to the memory system 52. The memory system 52 may include a localmemory 56 that may comprise one or more of the different well knowntypes of memory equipment, such as integrated circuits (ROM, RAM),magnetic disks (hard disks, floppy disks), and optical disks (CD-ROM,CD-R). Memory system 52 may also provide memory storage via connectionto a network 55 (LAN, WAN). The video display 53 likewise may encompassvarious types of well known display devices (CRT, LCD). The user inputdevices 54 may include, for example, one or more of the following wellknown devices: a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball, a pen.

[0019] The exemplary file sharing system is initiated by loading andexecuting from the memory system 52 a “working file application” (whichmay be written in any known computer language, Visual C++ being anexample). The working file application presents a user interface thatallows a user to designate a data file as a “working file.” The exactlocation where the working file is stored in the memory system 52(sometimes referred to as its “path”) is stored by the working fileapplication. The working file application also exposes interfaces (viathe user interface) to a number of applications (i.e., one or moreapplications), for example, the applications of an application suite.These interfaces may be accomplished, for example, by providinggraphical indicators in the user interface representing eachapplication, and by associating with the graphical indicators anexecution statement that, when provided, for example, to the operatingsystem, will cause the represented application to be executed. When theuser selects a graphical indicator in the user interface, the workingfile application initiates the execution of the selected application(for example, using the execution statement), and provides the path ofthe working file to the selected application.

[0020]FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the logical connections betweenthe working file application 60 and various elements of the computersystem 50. Working file application 60 is linked to the various systemresources via the operating system 61, which, as mentioned above, maycomprise one of the many well known operating systems available (e.g.,Unix, MS-DOS, Windows). The operating system 61 provides control andaccess to the various system resources connected to the CPU 51: thememory system 52, the video display 53, and the user input devices 54.Furthermore, the operating system 61 provides facilities to execute atleast one of a number of applications 62 that are available to thecomputer system 50 (e.g., by virtue of their presence in the memorysystem 52). For example, a user may be able to enter an executionstatement into operating system 61 that causes a particular application62 to execute. The operating system 61 may also provide a facility toprovide parameters to applications 62 (for example, via a command lineargument parameter passing function). Working file application 60 mayoperate (as further described below) by sending an execution statementto the operating system 61 to begin execution of a particularapplication 62, as well as providing the path of the working file to theapplication 62 via the parameter passing facility of the operatingsystem 61 or some other notification method. Working file application 60may further operate to receive the path of a working file from anapplication 62 via the parameter passing facility of the operatingsystem 61, or some other notification/messaging method.

[0021]FIG. 3 depicts a video screen 1 of the video display 53 displayingan exemplary user interface 2 provided by the working file application60. User interface 2 may encompass a portion of the video screen 1. Theuser interface 2 allows users to access a suite or other collection ofsoftware applications, typically related in general application (e.g.,multimedia applications or business document processing applications).The applications 62 may be represented in the user interface bygraphical indicators 3 (for example buttons, icons, text) in order toallow the user to select the desired application for access (e.g.,execution). As shown in FIG. 3, the applications 62 are indicated bygraphical indicators 3 which are icons that indicate the name of theapplication, although other indicators are possible. The indicators 3are located in an application window 4 of the user interface 2.

[0022] The user interface 2 also includes a working file window 5 thatdisplays a file identifier 9 for the working file. The working filerepresents a data file (e.g., a text document, bitmapped graphic,sampled audio, etc.) that may be operated on by at least one of theapplications represented by indicators 3 in the application window. Theworking file application maintains the exact storage location of theworking file in the memory system (its “path”), such that the user neednot know its location in order to perform operations on this file. Thefile identifier 9 may be the name, first page or other identifyingfeature for the data file that is the working file. The user interface 2may further include a file library 6, displayed in a file library window7. The file library 6 includes a number of data files for which the userinterface 2 has maintained paths (e.g., recently used files). Each datafile in the file library 6 may be represented in the file library window7 by its own file identifier 9. Should the user want to operate on theworking file using a particular application 62 represented in theapplication window 4, the user may initiate this operation in a numberof ways. The user may simply select the desired application from theuser interface 2, for example, by using the user input devices 54 (e.g.,the mouse) to select the appropriate indicator 3. The working fileapplication 60 recognizes the selection of the application, and executesthe application, for example, by sending the execution statement for theapplication to the operating system and passing the path of the workingfile via the parameter passing facilities of the operating system.Alternatively, the user may select the working file by using the userinput devices 54 to select the working file identifier 9 and then to“drag” the working file identifier 9 to the desired applicationindicator 3. The working file application 60 will interpret this actionas desiring to operate on the working file using the application, andwill accordingly execute the application, passing the path of theworking file to the application.

[0023] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, the executed application may berun over the application window 4 of the user interface 2, such that theworking file window 5 and the file library window 7 are still visible onthe video screen 1, but the graphical indicators 3 are no longervisible.

[0024] A data file displayed in the file library window 7 may be madeinto the working file by selecting the desired file using the user inputdevices 54 (e.g., the mouse). Once the data file is selected, its fileidentifier 9 is displayed in the working file window 5, and the path tothe data file is retrieved by the working file application 60 for usewith any desired applications 62 represented in the user interface 2.The user may alternatively bypass the steps above by selecting the datafile from the file library window 7 and “dragging” the file identifier 9for the data file to the application indicator 3 that the user desiresto use to operate on the selected data file. The working fileapplication 60 will interpret from this action that the user would likethe selected data file to become the new working file, and will executethe selected application using the selected data file as the new workingfile.

[0025] Upon starting the working file application 60, the last data filethat was being operated on by one of the applications 62 represented inthe application window 4 may be set as the working file, and the userinterface 2 will display the file identifier 9 for that data file in theworking file window 5. Thus, the user interface 2 may immediatelyprovide the user with the most likely data file that may be desired foroperation.

[0026] Where the working file application is integrated as part of asuite of applications, executing the applications and passing the pathof the working file may be implemented by known programming methods(e.g., stacks, pointers, etc.), without the use of any specificfacilities of the operating system. FIG. 5 illustrates this logicalconnection. Where the working file application is implemented as aseparate program from the applications themselves (as shown in FIG. 2),the working file application may achieve execution of applications andpassing of the path of the working file via the known programmingmethods mentioned previously and/or via well known parameter passingfacilities of the operating system during the execution of theapplication (e.g., command line arguments, messaging, etc.). Also, theworking file application may include various “viewers” corresponding tothe applications represented in the user interface in order to display aminiature graphical view of the first data “page” of the working file inthe working file window. Such viewers are well known in the art.

[0027] Additional features may be supported by the working fileapplication. For example, the working file may be incompatible with someof the applications represented in the user interface (for example,where a sound file is the working file, it may not be operated on by avideo editor). In such a case, the working file application may indicatethe incompatibility in the user interface 2 via a “signal” indicatingthe incompatibility: by shading the indicators 3 for applications thatare incompatible, by placing an “X” over the indicators 3 for suchapplications, or by some other graphic. The working file applicationwill then not allow the use of such applications with the working file.The working file application may also include a feature to allow theuser to add or delete applications accessible via the user interface inorder to customize the working file application for the particular needsof the user. The working file application may thereby provide a controlfeature for the user to specify the execution statement, the graphicalindicator, compatible file types and other interoperability requirementsfor the application to be added. The working file application may alsoinclude a “drag tips” feature that provides “pop up” text when, forexample, the working file identifier 9 is dragged over an applicationindicator 3. Such pop up text may provide, for example, a description ofthe functions provided by the application related to the applicationindicator 3.

[0028] FIGS. 6-9 illustrate a second exemplary embodiment of a filesharing system according to the present invention. This secondembodiment is tailored to the specific functionality of a particular setof applications, in this case a suite of multimedia processing tools. Asshown in FIG. 6, user interface 102 provided by working file applicationincludes a number of application indicators 103 in an application area104. User interface 102 is directed to a multimedia application suite,for example, the “Create and Share Pack” application suite from IntelCorporation. As such, the applications linked to user interface 102 aredirected to creating and manipulating multimedia data files: movie maker103 a, image editor 103 b, sound mixer 103 c, graphics creator 103 d andmovie player 103 e. User interface 102 also includes a working filewindow 105 and a gallery window 107 to display a file gallery, and mayfurther include a menu bar 108 to provide access to control features ofthe working file application.

[0029]FIG. 7 illustrates a computer system 200 equipped for use with thesecond exemplary file sharing system. CPU 201 is connected to memorysystem 202, video display 203, user input devices 204, and toacquisition devices 205, 206. Acquisition devices 205, 206 allow thecomputer system 200 to obtain digitized samples of sounds and imageswhen desired by the user. As shown in FIG. 7, acquisition device 205 isan audio input such as a microphone, and acquisition device 206 is avideo input such as a CCD camera or CMOS imager. Other well knownacquisition devices may be used in computer system 200 as well.

[0030]FIGS. 8a and 8 b present a flow chart illustrating an example ofthe operation of the second exemplary embodiment according to theinvention. This example will illustrate the creation of a movie clipusing the working file application and the applications represented inthe working file application's user interface 102. In step 302, theworking file application is launched, and the computer system 200displays the user interface 102 on the video display 203 (as shown inFIG. 6). The working file application sets as the working file the datafile last being used as the working file (i.e., in a previous session).In this example, the data file “stills.bmp” is set as the working file.The gallery window 107 lists various data files associated with themultimedia applications suite (“stills.bmp,” “soundsample.wav,” and soforth), which may be selected as working files. The indicators 103 foreach application are visible in the application area 104. The indicator103 c related to the sound mixer application has been signaled asincompatible with the working file (which is a bitmapped image file thatdoes not support audio) through the use of an “X” through the indicator103 c. All other applications are available.

[0031] In step 304, one of the user input devices 204 is used to selectthe graphical indicator 103 a, which represents the movie makerapplication. Upon selection of the indicator 103 a, the user interface102 executes the movie maker application (step 306) by sending theexecution statement for the movie maker application to the operatingsystem, along with the path for the working file “stills.bmp.” The moviemaker application is executed with the working file “stills.bmp” loadedfor processing (step 308). The movie maker application may then be usedto create a movie clip (step 310), using various known techniques. Onesuch technique uses the acquisition devices 205, 206 to obtain a seriesof images (from the video input 206) and a series of sound samples (fromthe audio input 205) over a period of time. Alternatively, the moviemaker may take images and audio from already created files and combinethese into a movie clip. In this case, the user decides to start a newmovie clip using multimedia data obtained from acquisition devices 205,206.

[0032] Once the user has created the “unedited” movie clip using themovie maker application, the user saves the movie clip as a multimediadata file—in this example, the file is called “movie.avi” —and exits themovie maker application (step 312). The movie maker application notifiesthe working file application that the file saved was “movie.avi” andsupplies the path for “movie.avi” to the working file application, forexample, via a parameter passing facility between the movie makerapplication and working file application (step 313). Facilities of theoperating system (e.g., messaging or notification services) may also beused. Accordingly, the working file application sets “movie.avi” as theworking file and adds “movie.avi” to the gallery window 107 (as shown inFIG. 9). As shown in FIG. 9, indicator 103 c related to the audio mixerapplication is no longer signaled as unavailable, since “movie.avi” iscompatible with the sound mixing application.

[0033] In order to “clean up” the movie clip, the user may now run acollection of multimedia editing applications provided in the userinterface 102. In step 314, the user launches the image editorapplication, for example, by using the user input devices 204 to selectthe indicator 103 b from user interface 102. Since the “movie.avi” fileis the working file, the working file application provides the executionstatement for the image editor application to the operating system,along with the path for the “movie.avi” file (step 316). The imageeditor application is launched in over the application area 104 and the“movie.avi” file is loaded for processing (step 318). The user is thenable to edit individual image frames of the video portion of the“movie.avi” movie clip using known image editing techniques (cropping,color correction, contrast adjustment, etc.), according to thefunctionality of the image editor application (step 320). Once the userhas completed any desired editing, the edited data may be saved. Theuser may choose to save the edited data as the same file “movie.avi”(overwriting the previous data stored in that file) or may choose tosave the edited data as a new file (in order to preserve the originaldata in “movie.avi”). In this example, the user chooses to save theedited data as a new file “movie2.avi,” and exits the image editorapplication (step 322). The image editor application notifies theworking file application that “movie2.avi” was the file saved, and theworking file application sets “movie2.avi” as the new working file (step323).

[0034] The user may also launch the sound mixer application (step 324),for example, by using the user input devices 204 to select the indicator103 c from the user interface 102. Since the “movie2.avi” file is theworking file, the working file application provides the executionstatement for the sound mixer application to the operating system, alongwith the path for the “movie2.avi” file (step 326). The sound mixerapplication is launched over the application area 104, and the “movie2.avi” file is loaded for processing (step 328). The user is now able toedit the soundtrack to the “movie 2.avi” movie clip (for example, addingnarration or background music), using the functionality of the soundmixer application (step 330). Once sound mixing is complete, the“movie2.avi” file is saved and the user exits the sound mixerapplication (step 332). The working file application is notified that“movie2.avi” was the file saved in the sound mixer application, and theworking file application keeps “movie 2.avi” as the working file (step333).

[0035] The user may also launch the graphic maker application (step334), for example, by using the user input devices 204 to select theindicator 103 d. The “movie2.avi” file is still the working file,therefore the working file application will provide the operating systemwith the execution statement for the graphic maker application as wellas the path of the “movie2.avi” file (step 336). The graphic makerapplication is launched over the application area 104, and the“movie2.avi” file is loaded for processing (step 338). The user is nowable to insert graphics into the image frames of the movie clip (e.g.,captions) using the functionality of the graphic maker application (step340). Once complete, the “movie2.avi” file is saved and the user exitsthe graphic maker application (step 342). The graphic maker applicationsends a message to the working file application that “movie2.avi” is thefile saved, and the working file application keeps “movie2.avi” as theworking file (step 343).

[0036] Once processing is complete (or during processing in order tosample the present state of the movie clip), the user may launch themovie player application, for example, by using the user input devices204 to select the indicator 103 e (step 344). The “movie2.avi” file isstill the working file, therefore the working file application willprovide the operating system with the execution statement for the movieplayer application as well as the path of the “movie2.avi” file (step346). The movie player application is launched over the application area104, and the “movie2.avi” file is loaded (step 348). The user is nowable to play the movie clip created using the previous processing steps(step 350). Once complete, the user exits the movie player application(step 352).

[0037] An additional feature that may be provided with the secondexample of the file sharing system described above is the inclusion of aseparate application that allows for flexible data acquisition via theacquisition devices 205, 206. This acquisition application may beprovided as part of the working file application or may be provided as astand-alone application. In either case, the acquisition application isaccessible via the user interface of the working file application toallow the user to execute the acquisition application.

[0038]FIG. 10 shows a view of a third exemplary user interface screenfor the working file application, this user interface screen showing theinclusion of an acquisition application indicator 103 f in theapplication area 104. A user may access the acquisition application byselecting the acquisition application indicator 103 f using user inputdevices 204. Upon selection, the acquisition application is executed,allowing the user to acquire multimedia data from the acquisitiondevices 205, 206. Upon completion, the acquisition application allowsthe user to store the acquired data in a data file, and the path of thisdata file is provided to the working file application to set this fileas the working file.

[0039] In addition, the user may choose to execute the acquisitionapplication concurrently with other applications accessed through theworking file application. For example, in the previous example of theoperation of the exemplary working file application, the file“movie.avi” was created in the movie maker application (see FIG. 8a,step 310). Alternatively, after the movie maker application is executed,the user may select the acquisition application indicator 103 f to causethe acquisition application to execute. The acquisition application maybe used to obtain multimedia data and store this data to a data file, asdescribed above. The path for this data file may then be provided to theworking file application for installment as the working file, and mayfurther be provided to the movie maker application (via the variouspassing facilities), such that the newly created data file may be loadedand processed using the movie maker application. The acquisitionapplication thus provides a flexible acquisition tool.

[0040] As can be seen from the examples described above, the workingfile application may be used to manipulate files easily in a computersystem, and particularly in a suite of related applications, without theneed to keep track of the exact locations of the various files to beprocessed. The working file is provided to launched applications (whenappropriate), since it is highly likely (particularly in a applicationsuite) that the working file is the file desired to be operated on, thussaving time and preventing errors in record keeping.

[0041] In the preceding specification, the invention has been describedwith reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will,however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be madethereunto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of theinvention as set forth in the claims that follow. The specification anddrawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather thanrestrictive sense.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system, comprising: a working file stored at alocation in a memory system and having a path to the location in thememory system; and a working file application, including a userinterface providing accessibility to a number of applications, toprovide the path of the working file to a selected one of the number ofapplications.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the working fileapplication stores the path of the working file.
 3. The system of claim1, wherein the user interface includes an indicator for each of thenumber of applications to allow a user to access at least one of thenumber of applications.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein at least oneof the indicators for each of the number of applications includes asignal indicating the incompatibility of the application with theworking file.
 5. The system of claim 3, wherein the user interfaceincludes a working file identifier for the working file.
 6. The systemof claim 5, wherein the user interface includes a working file window todisplay the working file identifier.
 7. The system of claim 5, whereinthe working file identifier includes at least one of a file name of theworking file and a graphical view of the working file.
 8. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the user interface includes a file library window todisplay identifiers for a number of data files.
 9. The system of claim8, wherein the working file application stores a respective path foreach of the number of data files, and wherein a specified data file ofthe number of data files may be made into the working file by selectingthe specified data file.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the workingfile application further includes a feature to add or deleteapplications accessible via the user interface.
 11. The system of claim1, wherein the working file application is integrated with the number ofapplications.
 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the number ofapplications comprise an application suite.
 13. The system of claim 1,wherein the number of applications includes at least one multimediaapplication.
 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the number ofapplications includes an acquisition application obtaining multimediadata and storing the multimedia data in an acquisition data file, andwherein the acquisition application provides a path of the acquisitiondata file to the working file application.
 15. The system of claim 14,wherein the working file application provides storage of the path of theacquisition data file.
 16. The system of claim 1, wherein the workingfile application includes a facility to provide drag tips during thedragging of a working file identifier for the working file in the userinterface.
 17. The system of claim 1, wherein the working fileapplication uses parameter passing facilities to provide the path of theworking file to the selected one of the number of applications.
 18. Thesystem of claim 17, wherein the parameter passing facility includesfacilities provided by an operating system controlling execution of theworking file application.
 19. The system of claim 18, wherein theparameter passing facilities include command-line argument passing. 20.A method for file sharing, comprising: receiving operations on a workingfile in a first application, the working file stored at a first locationin a memory system; storing the working file at a second location in thememory system; executing a second application, wherein a path to thesecond location is automatically provided to the second application;receiving operations on the working file in the second application. 21.The method of claim 20, further comprising: selecting the working filefrom a file library.
 22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:displaying a user interface on a video display, the user interfaceincluding an indicator for the first application and an indicator forthe second application.
 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the step ofexecuting the second application includes: receiving a selection of theindicator for the second application from the user interface; providingan execution statement for the second application to an operatingsystem; and providing the path to the second location of the workingfile to the operating system for use by the second application.
 24. Themethod of claim 20, further comprising: saving the path to the secondlocation of the working file in order to provide the path to the secondlocation of the working file to the second application.
 25. The methodof claim 20, wherein the first location and the second location are thesame.
 26. A method for file sharing, comprising: providing a userinterface that includes a number of application indicators, each of theapplication indicators related to one of a number of applications, and aworking file identifier related to a working file; receiving a selectionof one of the number of applications; retrieving a path of the workingfile; and providing the path of the working file to the one of thenumber of applications that is selected.
 27. The method of claim 26,further comprising: retrieving an execution statement for the one of thenumber of applications that is selected; providing the executionstatement to an operating system to cause the execution of the one ofthe number of applications that is selected.
 28. The method of claim 26,wherein the selection is from a selecting of one of the number ofapplication indicators related to the one of the number of applicationsthat is selected.
 29. The method of claim 26, wherein the selection isfrom a dragging of the working file identifier to one of the number ofapplication indicators related to the one of the number of applicationsthat is selected.
 30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:providing drag tips during the dragging of the working file identifier.31. The method of claim 26, further comprising: providing a working filewindow in the user interface, wherein the working file identifier isdisplayed in the working file window.
 32. The method of claim 26,further comprising: providing an application area in the user interface,wherein the number of application indicators are displayed in theapplication area.
 33. The method of claim 26, further comprising:providing a file library window in the user interface, wherein a numberof data file identifiers related to a number of data files are displayedin the file library window; receiving a selection of one of the numberof data files; and designating the selected one of the number of datafiles as the working file.
 34. The method of claim 26, furthercomprising: providing a control feature to allow the deletion of one ofthe number of application indicators.
 35. The method of claim 26,further comprising: providing a control feature to allow the addition ofa new application indicator to the number of application indicators, thenew application indicator related to a new application.
 36. The methodof claim 26, further comprising: providing a signal indicatingincompatibility of at least one of the number of applications with theworking file.
 37. The method of claim 26, further comprising: providingan acquisition application indicator as one of the number of applicationindicators, the acquisition application indicator related to anacquisition application.
 38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:receiving a selection of the acquisition application; obtainingmultimedia data and storing the multimedia data in an acquisition datafile via the acquisition application; and providing a path of theacquisition data file to the working file application.
 39. The method ofclaim 38, further comprising: storing the path of the acquisition datafile; and setting the acquisition data file as the working file.
 40. Themethod of claim 26, wherein the step of providing the path of theworking file to the one of the number of applications that is selectedincludes using parameter passing facilities of an operating system. 41.The method of claim 40, wherein the parameter passing facilities includecommand line argument passing.
 42. A storage medium, comprising: a setof instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform the stepsof: providing a user interface that includes a number of applicationindicators, each of the application indicators related to one of anumber of applications, and a working file identifier related to aworking file; receiving a selection of one of the number ofapplications; retrieving a path of the working file; and providing thepath of the working file to the one of the number of applications thatis selected.